UCDD Officials shared the successes and opportunities of the Empower UC Program with state counterparts this week.
UCDD Executive Director Mark Farley said despite rising income and lower unemployment, poverty rates are still high in some areas. Farley said some people in poverty want to get back to work, but others fear re-entering the work force will cost them their benefits and familiar way of life.
“We can’t just ignore that population anymore,” Farley said. “For our economy to work for us to be where we can be economically, we need as many people in the workforce today as we can possibly get. And that means we have to work with some clients who are a little bit tougher.”
Farley said more leadership is needed in addressing the issue of poverty. Farley said UCDD is working with some 700 families, many of which are single moms.
“Many of them now are locked into a job that they feel like they can’t make a move up the ladder to a higher paying job, just because of the uncertainty of change,” Farley said. “Also, they’re in a system that they’re familiar with, their kids are familiar with. They have their childcare situation taken care of, they’re covering their essential bills, but they’re not able to be completely stable.”
Farley said Empower UC loves helping families improve their livelihoods.
“You really see some excitement when you can help them make a move that makes a big influence, not only in their life but in the lives of the children they’re raising.”
Farley said Empower UC is one of seven pilot programs fighting poverty in Tennessee.
